Mja. De Dood et al., Local optical density of states in SiO2 spherical microcavities: Theory and experiment - art. no. 033807, PHYS REV A, 6403(3), 2001, pp. 3807
The local optical density of states (LDOS) in 340-nm-diam SiO2 spherical mi
crocavities was calculated and probed experimentally by measuring the lumin
escence decay rate at 1.54 mum of erbium ions implanted in the colloids. To
separate the effect of nonradiative processes, first the radiative decay r
ate of Er3+ in bulk SiO2 was determined. This was done by varying the LDOS
in an Er-doped planar SiO2 film by bringing the film into contact with liqu
ids of different refractive index in the range n = 1.33-1.57. By comparing
the calculated LDOS with the observed changes in decay rate with index, the
radiative rate was found to be 54+/-10 s(-1) (tau = 18+/-3 ms) in bulk SiO
2. This value was then used to analyze the difference in decay rate in coll
oids surrounded by air or immersed in an index-matching Liquid. Within the
experimental error, agreement was found between the calculated and experime
ntally probed LDOS in the colloids. Finally, a full determination of the LD
OS vs size in SiO2 microcavities is presented (2 piR/lambda = 0.1-6.9), whi
ch shows the appearance of a number of maxima, corresponding to the positio
n of the electric-type resonances inside the microcavity.